


I'm not a photographer, but I can just picture us together

by ilse_writes



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Drunk Gavin Reed, Heavy Drinking, M/M, Mentioned Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Mentioned Hank Anderson, Morning After, Nines is new to a lot of things, Oneshot, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22407814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilse_writes/pseuds/ilse_writes
Summary: Five times when Gavin uses a pick up line on Nines, he is drunk. And one time, he isn't.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 8
Kudos: 173





	I'm not a photographer, but I can just picture us together

**Author's Note:**

> I came across some corny pick up lines on Pinterest. One thing led to another and now I have this oneshot. Hope you'll enjoy!

It’s a party. Or more specific: an afterparty. It’s Nines his first time at a party, or an afterparty for that matter; the whole night is filled with new experiences. Like how he is wearing a new shirt to work, instead of his usual work get up with the CyberLife jacket. It’s a black button down with a matte satin sheen to it. The texture feels nice to his fingertips and he brushes one finger absentmindedly along the inside of his left cuff as he observes the people around him.  
Tonight they celebrate fifteen years on the force for Chris Miller, Tina Chen and Gavin Reed. The three came up from the police academy together and have worked for the DPD in various capacities every since. They are honoured by Captain Fowler in front of the whole station and received a written commendation from the mayor. Tonight, Nines has heard various stories about their time on the force; tales of heroic deeds (Miller once saved a pregnant lady from a store robber, while being off duty), proofs of kindness (Chen still keeps in touch with the elderly man freed from his own bathroom three years ago, after he was locked in there by his son) and demonstrations of wit (like how an unarmed Reed kept a gang leader talking until backup finally arrived). 

Nines loved the pictures the most, shown on a white screen behind the captain. Images of bright eyed, bushy tailed young officers, fresh of the academy. There are official photographs, but also snapshots taken by other officers. Those are Nines' favourites. After the ceremony was over, Nines synched with the computer that held the images and picked out his favourites. A fresh batch of newly sworn in police officers standing in front of the station, Reed, Miller and Chen in the front row, fresh faced and eager. Chen sitting in her patrol car, showing the three year old boy in her lap where the buttons for the lights and alarms are. And Reed, with two tiny kitten heads peeking from the zipper of his leather jacket. The two cats he saved from that Red Ice den still live with him, Nines had the honour of meeting them a while back.

After the official part, there were drinks at the station. Catering even provided some Thirium based drinks for the androids on the force. Interacting socially was still a learning process for Nines, though Connor ensured him multiple times he was getting better at it each day. Working with detective Reed proved to be an effective learning curve, with the detective being as volatile and versatile as a human could be.   
At first, Nines thought the detective was all harsh words and sharp edges. And he was, at the surface. Thing was, that surface only needed a little scratching to show what was underneath. Gavin was the second youngest person to make detective at the DPD, which was telling of his intelligence and his dedication to his job. The detective harboured a great love for animals, yet he was extremely wary of big dogs. He refused to tell why, though. Lieutenant Anderson provided Nines with the reason for his fear of dogs, when asked: Reed was bitten on a raid when he was still a beat cop. No heroic tale, just a vicious dog and a young, scared police officer. The android understood why his proud and stubborn partner didn’t want to talk about it, though he was happy to add another cluster of data to his ever growing file on the detective. And Nines discovered early on the detective could be placated with a good cup of coffee at the right times; which was perhaps the most important bit of data of all.

During the first months of their partnership it was a challenge to work with the detective. Nines felt like he had to prove himself with the human time and time again, something that really shouldn’t be necessary: one look at his specifications and everyone could see he was designed for a job like this, just like Connor. He had complained to his predecessor about that, fed up that Reed wouldn’t even take a moment to read up about his android partner. He had to tell or show the detective everything he could do, had to guess constantly whether he wasn’t asked to do something because his partner didn’t _know_ he could be of assistance or whether the detective just didn’t _want_ to ask him. It was frustrating, even to the point of thinking about quitting. Yet Nines discovered the detective was as hard for himself as he was for those around him and eventually the android found he kind of liked proving his worth to the detective.

None of that is necessary tonight. Detective Reed is in unusually high spirits tonight, smiling more than Nines has seen him do on the job before. It’s oddly captivating. They moved to a bar across the street from the station, one where the honorees of tonight can wear their dress uniform while drinking a beer. Or, something stronger, as Nines watches how Tina and Gavin - he was reminded frequently to call them by their first names when they were not at work - knock back an amber liquid in a tiny glass.   
“Come here, Nines!” Tina calls out to him, beckoning him over to the high table she and Gavin are leaning against. She shows him a wide smile, just a tad dopey because of her alcohol intake. “We were just talking about how great you look tonight!”

“Ah, thank you,” Nines answers quickly, surprised by her compliment. He smooths a hand down his shirt, again pleased with how the fabric feels to his sensors.

Gavin shows a crooked grin as he leans forward on his elbows, making a show of looking his android partner up and down. “You must be a parking ticket, ‘cause you’ve got _fine_ written all over you.”

Tina wheezes out a high pitched laugh and smacks her friend’s arm. “That’s a good one!”

A quick search gives him a couple of keywords, like ‘pun’ and ‘pick up line’. Judging by the delight Gavin and Tina share right now, Nines guesses the line was a joke. A clever one, too, because it has him smiling. He likes puns, he’s picked up a lot of them listening to the casual conversations around him in the break room. So he guesses he can tell a joke too. “Why did the thief wear blue gloves?” he offers and pauses for the effect of the punchline. “Because he didn’t want to be caught red-handed.”

Tina snorts, her face scrunching up with merriment. Gavin makes a show of rolling his eyes, though he is also smiling. “Don’t quit your day job, big guy.”

They make some light conversation and when Chris Miller joins them, Nines offers to get them drinks. He returns with three beers, a paper umbrella stuck in one of them. He put it in there on a whim, for Tina, when he saw a cup of the little umbrellas at the bar. He knows they are meant for cocktails, but he just thinks it looks whimsical. He is feeling a little whimsical himself, caught up in the air of fun and drinks, so different from the environment he usually shares with his colleagues.

The group grew in his absence and there are more people talking and laughing with each other now. Before Nines can decide whether he should get more drinks, Gavin turns to him when he approaches. He holds his hands out towards Nines and grins. “Are you Google? Because you have everything I’m searching for!”

“I have a beer for you, yes,” Nines confirms easily. He squeezes past his partner to put the beers on the table, distributing them towards each person. Tina squeals when she sees her umbrella and immediately goes to stick it in her hair.

“What? No umbrella for me?” Gavin actually pouts and Nines doesn’t know what to think of it.

“I can get you one next round?” 

The detective scrunches up his face before he relaxes into a neutral expression again, shrugging with one shoulder. “Eh, good enough.”

Nines has been around inebriated people before. He has put some in the holding cells at the station to sober up, or he came across them investigating some of their cases. And he knows of Connor’s personal experiences with his partner, on those days Hank feels the weight of the world is too much to carry. Nines has never been around the process from the beginning, though. It’s… interesting.  
Chris Miller seems to grow more tired with each drink. His eyes go half lidded, his movements become slower and less controlled and his speech becomes slurred, though not yet unintelligible. Tina is quite the opposite, she is starting to remind Nines of an energizer bunny. She gets louder too, laughing at everything and nothing.   
The most interesting one is Gavin, however. The walls he usually puts up around himself are nowhere to be seen; Gavin himself has broken through them, calling out with funny comments, talking animatedly and touching. He is _touching_ people. He puts an arm around Chris his shoulders, he grabs people by the arm when he is talking to them and he is constantly hugging Tina. And now he is trying to manhandle Nines into stooping down for him so he can put a paper umbrella in his hair. 

“Geez, you’re tall,” Gavin mutters and he puts his beer away to have both hands free. He puts his hands on Nines his biceps, grabbing to make the android move. Only he doesn’t really pull down, he just keeps his hands there, squeezing lightly. Nines looks down in wonder as Gavin continues to feel up his arms, seemingly completely forgotten about his umbrella mission. “It feels so real,” Gavin says to himself and Nines understands he is referring to the lifelike quality of his android anatomy in admiration.

Gavin looks up and catches Nines’ eyes; their faces are only inches apart and this is the closest they’ve ever been. The detective stares for a few seconds and then jolts, suddenly remembering about the umbrella. Nines lets himself get pulled down, too busy processing all the data this unprecedented moment unlocked.  
His partner is intoxicated: an involuntary notification of the breathalyzer he never told Gavin he has, tells Nines his exact promillage. He now also has a more detailed scan of the scar across Gavin’s nose, which is exactly 68 millimeters long and 7 millimeters at its widest point. The human has grey eyes, with a dark grey ring around the iris and tiny golden and brown spots around the edges. 

While his partner pushes a tiny paper umbrella in his hair, trying to make it stay put at his temple, Gavin is only inches away and Nines is suddenly overwhelmed by an overpowering urge to _touch_ . He wants to feel the stubble on his jaw underneath his sensitive fingertips. He wants Gavin to put his hands on his arms again, feeling their way across his synthetic skin, only a thin layer of fabric between them. He wants to push his hand through Gavin’s hair, feeling the strands weave through his fingers. He wants to touch the warmth he can feel radiating off of Gavin’s skin from this close. He _wants_.

“There, all done,” Gavin says suddenly and steps away, pushing against Nines’ shoulders to indicate he can straighten up again. He keeps looking at Nines, obviously pleased with his handy work. 

Nines self-consciously touches the tip of the umbrella with his fingers. He has trouble naming the various emotions that cross his processors right now, still working on the one called ‘disappointment’ from when Gavin took a step away from him. “Does it look good?” he asks, unable to voice anything more eloquent for the moment.

His partner smiles, one of those smiles that light up faces, make the corners of eyes crinkle and that make the recipients feel all warm inside. Nines guesses the android equivalent of feeling all warm inside is happening inside him right now; it’s as if the Thirium runs just a tad bit smoother through his systems.  
Then Gavin speaks up and it confuses Nines. “You know the alphabet has 21 letters, right?”

“Uh, no? It doesn’t.”

“Oh, you’re right!” Gavin’s smile turns playful. “I forgot a couple: U R A Q T!”

For all his speech and vocabulary software, Nines doesn’t have a reply to being called cute by his partner. It doesn’t seem fitting, too. He’s been called cold, imposing, intimidating or stuck up. Polite and resourceful are some of the more flattering descriptions. Never once has he been called cute. 

Gavin has moved on already, oblivious to the bewilderment his words have caused in his partner. Nines follows him with his eyes as he walks away, pulling a pack of smokes from his back pocket and waving it at Tina. “Come on, Teens,” he calls, “time for a smoke!”

There is a line of text floating around in his HUD, an internet search result triggered by Gavin’s comment. It layers over the image of his partner, who steers Tina towards the backdoor by her shoulders. It’s another alphabet pun, with a similar sentiment: ‘If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together’. 

The evening progresses and Nines experiences some kind of tunnel vision: all he sees is Gavin. He watches him return from his smoke break and walk to the bar, ordering another beer. Although Nines would like him to cut off his alcohol consumption for health purposes, he is fascinated by the changes it brings on in his partner. He tells himself it’ll be fine if he keeps a close eye on the detective, to keep him from harm.   
That isn’t hard to do, because the detective stays in a close circle around his android partner, often ending up next to him or even leaning against him when he talks to someone else. Nines has to lend a supporting hand more often to keep his partner upright and eventually settles a hand on Gavin’s back, keeping him steady. At first, Nines thinks Gavin doesn’t even notice the touch, but then he leans into it, with a quick glance at the android and a content smile on his face. It does funny things to his Thirium pump.

It’s the end of the night, most people have gone home already. Chris and his wife took a cab, after he fell asleep at the bar. Sitting down at one of the tables seems to be a good idea, most of the humans aren’t that sure on their feet anymore. Only a small group is left and they almost all fit at one table. It’s how Nines ends up with a lap full of Gavin, who is chatting animatedly with Tina next to him. They are talking about some movie they both loved when they were young, a story that involves a lot of intense hand gestures. Nines has to keep an arm looped around Gavin’s waist to keep him from toppling into Tina. The detective is warm in his lap, body both pliant and sturdy. He feels a pang of regret when the bartender announces the last call.

When the bar closes, Nines stands on the sidewalk with Tina and Gavin. They’ll share a cab home, with first a stop at Tina’s and Nines last. Gavin pulls a cigarette from his pack while they wait for the automated cab. He is not leaning against Nines anymore, a void that the android is very conscious about. He inches closer until he is standing at an angle to his partner, so close that the leather of Gavin’s jacket brushes against the back of his hand. The human doesn’t seem to mind the closeness, keeping his attention on Nines the whole time. The detective rests his head against the wall and lights his smoke. “I’d offer you a cigarette,” he says to Nines with a lazy grin, “but you’re already smoking hot.”

Tina leans in heavily from his other side, taking the cigarette from Gavin’s mouth in a cloud of smoke. “Geez, get a room already, you two!”

“Okay,” Gavin smirks easily, looking up at Nines. “Your room or mine?”

The arrival of the automated taxi saves Nines from having to reply. There are several things that complicate the answer to Gavin’s question - even though Nines is fairly sure it was a rhetorical one, or at least a question Gavin didn’t expect him to answer. Still, Nines lists the answers to the question in his head as they pile in the backseat of the taxi; pile being the operative word because it’s a little cramped fitting three adults in the backseat of the car. Tina sits in the middle, most of her weight distributed over Gavin’s lap. The two of them are complaining to each other about their future hangovers and are accusing the other of egging them on to drink.

And that’s the first answer to Gavin’s question: “I will not ‘get a room’ with you, because you’re drunk.”

“You’re my work partner,” is an important second. Although Nines is already scanning the bylaws as they drive home, and he can only find rules against relationships between a superior and their subordinate. Other than that, there’s an obligation for disclosure towards the captain and an obvious requirement for professional behaviour on the job.

“I don’t have a room,” is also a dismissing answer to his partner’s impertinent question. Nines either spends the night at the station, at the house Connor shares with lieutenant Anderson or sometimes at Jericho head quarters.There’s also one memorable night he spent on Gavin’s couch, where he only spent the minimal amount of time in stasis, because he enjoyed the warm presence of the two felines too much.

Much too soon they arrive at Tina’s door, Nines seeing her safely inside the house before he joins Gavin inside the taxi again. There is more room on the backseat this time, though Gavin doesn’t plan to make use of it. He is pressed right up against Nines’ side, trailing his fingers up and down the sleeve of his dress shirt. The beer stains on it aren’t visible for the human eye, especially not in the dim light of the taxi. The detective doesn’t care anyway, he keeps caressing the smooth fabric, his hand slowly moving up and towards Nines’ chest.  
“Is a nice shirt,” he mumbles, his eyes following the movements of his hand. A finger slides in between two buttons and Nines almost jolts when it makes contact with his skin, brushing against the ring of his Thirium regulator.

The android gently catches Gavin’s wrist, preventing those wandering fingers from going any further. “I’m glad you like it,” he answers, trying to keep a level head. He feels impossibly drunk.

Gavin pinches the fabric between his fingers and pulls a little. “It looks good on you,” he comments slyly. “But it would look even better on the floor of my bedroom.”  
In the next moment the detective moves even closer and plants open mouthed kisses at Nines’ jaw. “God, you’re hot,” he breathes against the synthetic skin, the stubble of his chin slightly grazing the side of the android’s neck. 

It’s clumsy, the movements influenced by a certain amount of alcohol, yet it almost manages to short circuit Nines his system. It takes all of his willpower to move away from the detective; not far, just far enough to make him look at him.  
“I don’t think that is such a good idea, detective,” Nines says in a strained voice. He talks over Gavin’s pout, keeping his hold on the man’s wrist. “I can think of multiple reasons why.”

To his surprise, the fight leaves Gavin immediately. “I know…” he sighs almost wistfully. He sags back against the seat, tipping his head back. Nines loses his grip on Gavin’s wrist and his hand is caught between Gavin’s hands, in his lap. He leaves it there.

For the rest of their ride, Gavin doesn’t make any avances anymore. Instead, he traces the lines of Nines his hand with his fingers, soft motions that have the android enraptured. The detective leans against his side, head resting on his shoulder. It is no surprise when after a little while his motions still and his head weighs heavier against Nines’ shoulder. 

The android helps a half asleep Gavin from the car, supporting most of his weight when they make their way towards his apartment. Nines opens the door for his partner, easily overriding the electronic lock. When the detective is awake and sober again, he’ll have to talk to him about getting a more advanced lock on his door.

Gavin sways on his feet as he tries to get rid of his jacket. Nines catches him by the elbow to steady him and helps him to get rid of the garment. The detective moves unsteadily towards him, planting his hands on the android’s chest. “Stay,” he says, no, demands.

“Detective… Gavin,” Nines corrects. “I don’t think -”

“Yeah, yeah, you ‘ready said that,” Gavin reacts, a little peeved. “I mean sleep. Like, on the couch or something.” He frowns as if he is thinking about something unpleasant. “Not at the station, I mean.” He sways again, clearly dead on his feet.

And Nines agrees. He wants to see his partner to bed safely, he doesn’t want him to keel over in the hallway after he has left. And also because he wants to be here. He wants to stay the night. 

When he returns to Gavin’s bedroom with a glass of water and some aspirin, the detective is already asleep. Nines puts the water and medicine on the bedside table and starts to fold the clothes Gavin has left in a heap on the floor. After that, he makes himself comfortable on the sofa, one cat in his lap and the other softly purring by his head on top of the armrest.

***

The next morning Gavin is still asleep when Nines wakes up from stasis. It is strange to be in Gavin’s home by himself, with his partner still dead to the world in the other room. It’s not a very conscious decision to stay, he is barely giving it any thought. He just plays with the cats, cleans the dishes that are in Gavin’s sink as quietly as he can and when he finds that Gavin doesn’t have enough supplies to make a full breakfast, he decides to go grocery shopping.

He returns with the ingredients for a farmer’s omelette, which he deems fairly healthy brunch food, but also suitable for curing hangovers. Nines overrides the lock again and pushes his shoes off in the hallway before he walks into the kitchen. He finds a startled Gavin there, hunched over a cup of coffee. He is freshly showered and dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie, other than that he looks quite miserable. “You…” he rasps, before clearing his throat and trying again. “I thought you left,” he says then. He sounds relieved. 

“You asked me to stay,” Nines answers simply. He starts unloading his groceries on the counter. “I thought I’d make you breakfast. Do you like omelettes?”

Gavin nods, a weird look on his face. It stays there for a while, as he watches Nines go about in his kitchen. It’s not until he has a plate with hot food in front of his nose that he speaks up again. “Smells good, thanks.”

While Nines cleans up the kitchen, Gavin eats his food. It’s quiet between them, but not unpleasantly so. It doesn’t feel much unlike their presence at work, when they are working at adjoining desks and the other is just one word away. 

Eventually, Gavin pushes his plate away, having eaten every last morsel. “That was very good, thanks again. I feel like I didn’t deserve that, though.” His voice still sounds rough from a night of drinking and smoking.

Nines leans back against the kitchen counter, folding a used tea towel in three and unfolding it again, repeating the motion to give his hands something to do. “What makes you say that?”

Gavin scoffs and scratches the back of his neck self-consciously. “I’m pretty sure I said some untoward things last night.”

The android cocks his head, a small smile playing around his lips. “You said some flattering things about me, that’s true.”

“You mean I was thinking with my dick.” The words are blunt, but one look at the detective shows that he is rather more shy or embarrassed than cocky about this.

“I thought it was the alcohol talking,” Nines says, gauging the other’s reaction.

“Whatever it was, I hope I didn’t fuck things up.” Gavin leans his elbows on the table, running his hands through his still slightly damp hair. Then he looks up again. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night.”

Nines smiles a tight lipped smile. “It was… interesting, for sure,” he offers. “But, if anything, I rather enjoyed your unusual attitude towards me.” 

His partner’s eyes go big. “You… you did?” He swallows nervously, fidgeting in his chair. “Oh, okay. I guess. I guess that’s good.”

They’re quiet again, simply watching each other from their own position in the small kitchen. It’s a new way of looking at each other, as if they have taken a turn in their relationship and walk down a new road. Nines for one is eager to see where this path will lead them. His partner was pretty straight forward last night, if the use of corny pick up lines can be interpreted as such. And even though he was intoxicated, he seems to be very much aware of his actions; Nines takes that as a sign that the events from last night stemmed from sincere sentiments. At first he felt a little confused about that, but he had some time to think about it and had to conclude it pleased him. Very much so.

Gavin is the first to break the silence, frowning as he puts a hand to his head. “Fuck, I really drank too much last night.”

The android smiles fondly, his systems filled with a lightness he hasn’t experienced before. “You should get some rest, we have a shift tonight.”   
He pushes off the counter, meaning to get his jacket from the couch and let Gavin get back to bed. “You are quite a handful when you’re drunk, did you know that?”  
His partner grabs him by the wrist when he walks past him, stopping him effectively. Nines looks down at him with a smile, his own hand loosely wrapping around Gavin’s wrist too. “Not only when you’re drunk, I must add.”

Gavin bites his lip to hide a laugh. “That’s why you’ve got two hands, right?”  
He lets go of Nines’ wrist, their hands sliding against each other until it’s just the tips of their fingers touching, the pads hooking on each other shortly.

Nines thinks he can’t stop smiling, not when Gavin is looking at him like that. Not even the loss of contact between their hands makes his smile falter. “See you tonight, Gavin.”


End file.
